Has anyone played at Treasure Island in Vegas?

[iceman5]

I played the TI $1/$3 2 weeks ago when I was there. I was plying it like a $2/$5 wih $15-$30 raises preflop. It was working nicely as people were getting tired of me running the table over but didnt know what to do about it.

[LasVegasMichael]

That is the great thing about the 1/3 at TI. Since it has a $500 max, it plays like a 2/5, but due to the $1 chips used for blinds and the ability to buy in for $100-300, the walk in tourists will still happily play it, whereas they would not play a 2/5.

Since 1/3 is obviously their smallest NL game (and the only one they spread on a regular basis) it has a nice balance of players. I call it "entry level 2/5" since it does play like a 2/5, but has a buy in range and walk in clientele that make it not intimidating for John Q. Tourist, unlike the 2/5 at Venetian, where the tourists have the option of playing 1/2 instead.

At face value, it looks like a vanilla 1/2 game but with a $3 blind sinstead of a $2, since it is the only NL game they offer, and is the default game at most casinos. Only when you critically evaluate the game (something that most tourists don't do), you will see that the $500 max does have an effect on the game, and the players that notice that effect are the ones that end up beating it consistently.

Standard preflop raises are usually $10-15 depending on who's playing. I have seen the standard raise be $15-20, but that is not as common during the day (usually at night). Plus there is usually always some players that make laughable raises of <$10. Obviously, I go out of my way to call those, as I know it will be a nice multiway pot.

Stadard raises of >$20 is very uncommon at this game, from my experiences, but it does happen on occasion. Usually stemming from one player that is pushing the action at the table.

Straddles are common, however. Since you can straddle ANY amount from UTG, it is a common move by a lot of people. Usually, they just straddle to the minimum, $6, but I have seen straddes in excess of $10 more then a few times.

[ryanghall]

I was there a couple of weeks ago too. You weren't there the night I was playing with Moneymaker were you?

Ryan

[LasVegasMichael]

No, but I heard ALL about it from my various sources. Moneymaker did pretty well in the game, from what I heard.

[chalk7]

[ QUOTE ]
No, but I heard ALL about it from my various sources. Moneymaker did pretty well in the game, from what I heard.

[/ QUOTE ]

this was in the $1/$3 NL $500 game?

[LasVegasMichael]

No, it was 2/5 1K max. The game rarely spreads at TI except during super peak times like WSOP and peak vacation weekends.

[ryanghall]

[ QUOTE ]
No, but I heard ALL about it from my various sources. Moneymaker did pretty well in the game, from what I heard.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not the night I played. He dropped about $5K at 2/5 1K buyin. BTW, he's not "hard up" for money like some people think. Not even close.

Ryan

[LasVegasMichael]

Just got back from an all nighter there, and to my SHOCK, we managed to get a 5 handed 3/6 mixed game going at 7:30AM!

Exceptionally rare, but a great game nonetheless. I left my NL game for it, as it a couple other players.

Our mix was Crazy Pineapple, Razz, Stud Hi, O8, and Badugi. Badugy and CP were my favorites, but all were good times. I hated leaving, but had to get home.

We have been getting $5 a point CHinese going almost every night this week as well. Usually the game only lasts a couple hours and it is usually always the same guys playing, but it is great that TI is willing to spread such a low EV game for us on a regular basis (so to not take away from the dealers, Chris, the manager, of deals the Chinese game).

When I left, the mixed game was still at 5 players, but another was coming. Good times.

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
Just got back from an all nighter there, and to my SHOCK, we managed to get a 5 handed 3/6 mixed game going at 7:30AM!

Exceptionally rare, but a great game nonetheless. I left my NL game for it, as it a couple other players.

Our mix was Crazy Pineapple, Razz, Stud Hi, O8, and Badugi. Badugy and CP were my favorites, but all were good times. I hated leaving, but had to get home.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice.

Worth repeating, that TI 3/6 mixed game is some of the most fun I have had playing cards in LV.

Great that you got it going at so late an hour and shorthanded.

LVM, do you regularly try to talk up that game and get it going when you play TI?

[pig4bill]

Wish I could pair up at Hold 'Em 1/10th as much as I do at Badugi.